Miandad blames the IPL

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad blamed the exhaustion from Indian Premier League for the poor performance of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.

"I just get the feeling that lame excuses are being given to protect the IPL. People are saying that players from other teams also took part in the IPL but are doing well in the World Cup. They forget that the IPL was an Indian event," Miandad said.

"Anyone who says that is joking because nothing can replace the intensity or pressure of representing your country," Miandad added.

The former captain, who is now Director-General in the Pakistan Cricket Board and a big critic of the IPL, said that focus on the IPL had also diverted the attention of the Indian players from World Cup preparation.

"You compare the IPL and World Cup. They are different things. I don't think there was much at stake in the IPL for the players except maybe some extra money."

"So the competition was never intense in the League but when you go and play for your national team in a World Cup the pressure and intensity of competition is different and I don't think Indian players were prepared to handle that pressure," he said.

Miandad pointed out that it was no coincidence that India won the first T20 World Cup when the IPL was not launched but since then have fared badly in two successive editions.

"India has a very good one-day and T20 outfit, yet they didn't click because they couldn't handle the pressure. That's all," he said.

"I think some of them were carrying niggling injuries which they didn't disclose but those prevented them from giving their optimum for their country," he added.

Miandad said that in contrast, players from other countries had very cleverly scheduled their workload so that they didn't have to play in all the IPL matches and were fresh to concentrate on the World Cup.

Miandad said that empty stadiums in some matches in the World Cup should be a wake up call for everyone that an excess of anything can kill the interest of the people.

Miandad was also clear that Pakistan could beat Australia in the semifinal only if they click collectively and field above themselves.

"The fielding has to be top quality. We can't afford a single dropped catch or misfield. Because when you play Australia if you have to chase 150 think you are chasing 170 because their fielders make every run so precious and difficult," he said.